Folding umbrella.



" H. B. ANDERSON.

- Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

Z SHEETS-SHEET 1 H. B. ANDERSON.

FOLDING UMBRELLA. APPLIOATION FILED AUG.24, 1910.

Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

2 SHEETS-BHEET 2.

THE NORRIS PETERS (20., WASHINGTON, D C

HARRY B. ANDERSON,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING UIMBRELLA.

Application filed August 24, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY B. ANnnRsoN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Umbrellas, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in folding umbrellas, and theobject of my invention is the provision of an umbrella which whenextended will present an appearance not unlike that of the conventionalumbrella, and which may be folded so as to occupy a length approximatelyonehalf that occupied at present by an ordinary umbrella so as to adaptthe same for ready arrangement and carriage in a satchel or other handbag.

A further object is the provision of an umbrella of the charactermentioned which will be of durable and economical construction, onewhich may be readily and expeditiously folded or extended, and one whichwill be eflicient in use.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

With these objects in view my invention consists in a folding umbrellacharacterized as above mentioned and in certain details of constructionand arrangement of parts all as will be hereinafter fully described andmore particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and inwhich,

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of an umbrella, in extendedcondition, embodying the preferred form of my invention, Fig. 2 is anenlarged fragmentary detail of the knuckle oint provided in each of thesectional ribs of the umbrella, Fig. 3 is a section on line 00-c0 ofFig. 2, Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation of the umbrella in foldedcondition, Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of the central portion of theumbrella staff in extended condition, Fig. 6 is an enlarged transversesection taken on line y y of Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is a sectional detail ofthe lower end of the umbrella staff in folded condition.

Referring now to the drawings 1 indicates the umbrella staff which is ofa foldable nature comprising the outer and inner sections 2 and 3respectively. Said sections are of substantially the same length, thecontigu- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

Serial No. 578,702.

1 one extremities thereof being connected by a lmk a in such a mannerthat said sections may be folded back in parallel spaced posit ons,"clearly shown in Fig. 4:. The con tiguous extremities of said sectionsare so formed as to form a rabbet joint when brought together, in whichposition the same may be held by means of a sleeve 5 which is slidablymounted upon the section 2. A circumferential flange 6 formed upon thesectlon ad acent the point of connection thereof with the section 2serves to limit clownward Inoyement of said sleeve when in lookmgpos1t1on. A suitable handle 1 is shown at the opposite extremity of saidsection 3.

Arranged upon section 2 adjacent the outer extremity thereof is anotched ring or hub 7, the same being rigidly secured thereto by meansof a snugly fitting cap 8. The nner edge of the cover 9 of the umbrellais shown secured or clamped in position between the member 7 and cap 8,Pivotally secured to the member 7 are the radially extending ribs 10 ofthe umbrella. Said ribs are of a foldable nature, each being comprlsedof an inner section 11 and an outer section 12. The adjacent extremitiesof said sections are connected by a knuckle oint as at 18. The sections12 are adapted to be folded back upon the sections 11, as clearly shownin Fig. 4, the former, in order to permit of this folding, being offsetas at 14.. An ear 15 formed integral with and inwardly extending fromthe inner extremity of each of the sections 12 is adapted to abut anoutwardly extending ear 16 formed at the outer extremity of the section11 in order to limit extending movement of the former.

At each of the joints 13 is provided a torsional spring 17 therespective extremities of which engage the projection 16 of the section11 and a stop 18 provided in the section 12 adjacent its innerextremity, the springs and 12 in extended or alining positions. Arrangedat the under side of each of the sections 11 of the ribs 10 is aparallelly extending spaced bar 19 the extremities 20 of which arerigidly secured thereto, said bar 19 being substantially co-extensivewith the rib section to which it is secured.

Slidably mounted upon the section 2 of the stafi 1 are two sleeves 21and 22 upon which are formed radially projecting pivotal ears 28 and 24:respectively, the ears 2 1, for reasons which will be apparent as thede- 17 serving to normally hold the sections 11 scription proceeds,being of a length slightly greater than that of the ears 23. Pivotallysecured at their inner extremities to the ears 24 of the sleeve 22 areradially projecting brace rods 25 the outer extremities thereof beingpivotally secured to sleeves 26 which are slidably mounted upon the bars19. The brace rods 25 are adapted as will be observed, when the sleeve22 is in elevated position upon the staff 1, to support the ribs 10 inextended positions, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Pivotally secured tosaid brace rods adjacent their inner extremities are links 27 the upperextremities of which are pivotally secured to the ears 23 of the sleeve21.

Formed in the staff section 2 intermediate its extremities is alongitudinally extending slot 28. Arranged in said slot is a bar 29 thelower extremity thereof being pivotally secured as at 30 to said staffsection. A

compression spring 31 arranged under the free extremity of said bar 29serves to normally hold the same in its outermost position, outwardmovement of said end of said bar being limited by the ear 32 formed atthe upper extremity of the slot 28 against which abuts the freeextremity of said bar, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 5. An exteriorlyprojecting stem or button 34: formed upon the bar 29 adjacent its lowerextremity affords means of ready manual depression of said bar. Formedupon the bar 29 at its upper extremity is a projection 35 which isadapted to engage under the lower extremity of the sleeve 22 to hold thesame at its upper terminal of movement upon the staff section 2, asclearly shown in Fig. 1, in which position of said sleeve the ribs 1.0will be held in extended positions. The lower side of the projection 35is inclined, as indicated, so as to offer no resistance to upwardmovement of the sleeves 21 and 22. Formed upon said bar 29 intermediateits extremities are projections 36 and 37. The projection 36 is adaptedto engage a slot 38 formed in the sleeve 21 so as to adapt the bar 29,when the sleeve 22 is lowered upon the staff section, to serve as a stopfor said sleeve 21 and so that further movement of the sleeve 22 aftersaid sleeve 21 has been engaged will through the medium of the links 27effect inward swinging of the outer ends of the brace rods 25. Thearrangement is such, as will be observed, that such movement of thebrace rods 25 effects inward slid ing of the sleeves 26 to which theouter extremities of said rods are secured along the bars 19 and sothat,when the rib sections 11 are in lowered or closed condition, as shown inFig. 4, the sleeves 26 and hence the upper extremities of the brace rods25 will be positioned adjacent the inner extremities of the rib sections11, this evidently being a very compact arrangement. Thus, with theprovision of the sleeve 21 and links 27 cooperating with the catch bar29, downward movement of the sleeve 22 upon the staff 1 willautomatically effect inward folding of the rib sections 11 and bars 25and inward sliding of the outer extremities of the latter relative tosaid rib sections. The lower end portion of the projection 37 isinclined, as will be observed, this provision being made so that uponupward movement of the sleeve 22 from its lower or closing position,depression of the bar 29, in order to effect the release of the sleeve21, will be automatically effected by reason of the upper extremity ofsaid sleeve 22 riding upon said lower inclined end portion of saidprojection. Upward sliding movement of the sleeves 21 and 22 upon thestaff section 2 is limited by a projectingpin 39 provided upon thelatter.

Bands 40 are preferably provided in order to hold rib and staff sectionsin folded condition, said bands being adapted, as seen, to be wrappedabout the umbrella at its respective ends, when in folded condition.

An umbrella of the construction as set forth is strong and durable, thesame may be readily and quickly operated to fold or extend the same, theconstruction is such as to not be susceptible to readily becominginoperative, and the same is efficient in use.

While I have shown what I deem to be the preferable form of my umbrellaI do not wish to be limited thereto as there might be various changesmade in the details of construction and arrangement of parts describedwithout departing from the spirit of the invention comprehended withinthe scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. In a folding umbrella, the combination of a foldable central stafiribs pivotally secured thereto, each of said ribs comprising a pluralityof pivotally connected sections; an inwardly spaced guide bar secured tothe in her section of each rib; a sleeve slidable upon said staff; bracerods pivotally connected to said sleeve and slidably connected to saidguide bar for holding the latter in extended positions; a second sleeveslidable upon said staff; a catch device cooperating with said sleeves;and an operative connection between said second mentioned sleeve andsaid brace rods whereby downward movement of said first mentioned sleeveupon said stafi' relatively to said second mentioned sleeve cooperatingwith said catch device effects inward rocking of said ribs and inwardrocking and sliding of the outer ends of said brace rods, substantiallyas described.

2. In a folding umbrella, the combination with a foldable central staff;ribs pivotally secured thereto, each of said ribs comprising a pluralityof pivotally connected sections;

an inwardly spaced guide bar secured to the inner section of each rib;means for normally holding said sections in extended condition; a sleeveslidable upon said stafi brace rods pivotally connected to said sleeveand slidably connected to said guide bar for holding the latter inextended positions; a second sleeve slidable upon said stafi"; a catchdevice cooperating with said sleeves; and an operative connectionbetween saio second mentioned sleeve and said brace rods wherebydownward movement of said first mentioned sleeve upon said stafirelatively to said second mentioned sleeve cooperating with said catchdevice eiiects the inward rocking of said brace rods and inward slidingof the outer ends thereof relatively to said ribs substantially asdescribed.

3. In a folding umbrella, the combination of a foldable central stafi'ribs pivotally secured thereto, each of said ribs comprising a pluralityof pivotally connected sections, an innermost section of each of saidribs being provided at its under or inner side with a rigid spaced barsubstantially co-extensive therewith; a sleeve slidably mounted uponsaid staff; brace rods having their inner ends pivotally connected tosaid sleeve and having their outer ends slidably and pivotally connectedwith the supplemental bars of said ribs; a second sleeve slidable uponsaid staif above first said mentioned sleeve; a spring catch arranged insaid staff for cooperation with said sleeves; means connecting saidsecond mentioned sleeve of said staff and said brace rods wherebydownward sliding of said first mentioned sleeve upon said staffrelatively to said second mentioned sleeve cooperative with said catchefl ects inward rocking of said brace rods and inward sliding of theouter ends thereof upon said supplemental rib bars, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY B. ANDERSON.

lVitnesses JOSHUA R. H. Po'r'rs ARTHUR A. OLSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C.

